That type of framework systems have been known for a long time, and used both in temporary and contemporary structures. The connectors connect bars to each other, producing connection nodes. In those framework systems, especially in temporary structures, like fair stands or booths, the connectors are preferably manufactured from a durable material, like stainless steel, that can withstand the load and weariness due to the numerous connection/disconnection routines, while the bars are preferred to be manufactured from lightweight and preferably extrudable materials, like aluminum, to benefit from customizable cross sections. Therefore, in most cases, the connectors are the preferred elements in the framework system that the framework components, including panels and especially diagonal braces, are connected to. The panels are flat elements, used mainly for separation purposes and diagonal braces comprise elongated elements in the form of a rod, wire or a profile element, used for improving the load bearing capacity of the framework system and bear compression or tension forces or both.
Because the connectors are used numerously in those framework systems, the excess weight of an oversized connector has a limiting effect on the load bearing capacity of the overall system. The oversized connectors have negative effects, also on manufacturing costs and on labor costs due to the increased time for setting the system numerously up and down especially in temporary structures, like fair stands or booths.
Connectors are generally polyhedron shaped elements with faces that receive bars. For reasons of not getting oversized and stabilization of the bars, the faces are shaped in relation with the cross section of the bar that is received, in such a way that, is covered by the bar substantially, if possible. The peripheral surface of the connector get covered substantially, when each of the faces receive at least one bar and especially in the cases of the bars with cross sections, shaped as a convex polygon, especially a regular convex polygon or a circle. That type of bars is among the most widely used types of bars in the framework systems, due to their high torsional resistance. The problem arises when to add framework components to their connectors. In known framework systems, the connectors fail to receive the framework components without being considered as oversized, especially for the cases in those systems, when those connectors are also used without the framework components, regarding that the components are used in the system only where needed. The additional faces, physical elements or surface area, dedicated for attaching the components, increase the overall size of those connectors and make them considered as over-sized. Furthermore, the over-sized connectors and their additional features dedicated for attaching components which usually remain useless for the cases without them, usually have negative effects on the ability of the framework's capability of attaching panels, by interfering with them and bringing out a problem of making undesirable arrangements especially at the corners of that panels.
Among those polyhedron shaped connectors of known systems, there are lightweight connectors with hollow forms that have advantageous shape on attaching framework components, as in the prior art document; WO 02/081837 A. With certain modifications, aiming to make use of the cavity inside the connector and to attach the framework components, that type of connectors can come out to be able to receive framework components without a disadvantage of over-sizing. Because of being composed of flat elements, they are relatively lighter than the connectors other than hollow formed ones, but most of them have significantly poor load bearing capacity, because of the relatively small contact surfaces between the flat elements. Another document; WO 0149950 A discloses another hollow formed connector, with relatively higher stability. But, however, that connector, together with the former one, has a limited capacity, when it comes to adding diagonal braces. Because, in the case of a diagonal brace, that is fixed to the plates and apply especially tensile forces thereto, the plates cannot withstand to the forces with a relatively high magnitude, without being ruptured. The option of increasing the thickness of the plates that those connectors are composed of, in most cases, gives away the other advantages of being hollow.
Most of the connectors other than hollow formed ones, generally don't have the disadvantage of poor loadability, but their problem is that, they attach the framework components, by means of certain modifications on the polyhedron shape, adding physical features, surface area or converting the polyhedron into another type of a polyhedron with additional faces to receive the framework components, when needed. So far, those solutions, failed to make their connectors to receive the framework components without getting oversized, especially for the cases with the same connectors in the system without that framework components. For example, in the prior art document, with the publication number US 2008/0175655 A, a cube shaped connector is suggested with a pair of extensions in the form of arms on a peripheral edge of each face of the connector, to form loops, wherein a diagonal connection with a hook-shaped end, is received and retained therein. But however, in order to locate the arms, the flat formed face elements are separated from each other and located at a distance at least the same as the length of the arms, increasing the overall size. The length of the arms must further be increased, for the cases the diagonal connection approaches to the surface of the bar, due to the angle therebetween, to prevent the end of the diagonal connection interfere with the surface of the bars. Furthermore, when a panel element with peripheral edges shaped in relation to the bars, is located in between a pair of bars, being surrounded thereby, the arms extend toward the panel element interfering therewith and brings a problem of making undesirable arrangements at the corners of that panels. That type of panel attachment is used frequently, especially in temporary framework systems like exhibition systems.
Therefore, the object of my invention is to produce a connection node, with a connector, connecting framework components and bars, especially bars with cross sections shaped circular or as a regular convex polygon, in a supporting framework system, substantially without being oversized, for both of the cases, the case with the framework components and the case, when those connectors are also used without the framework components.